Secret Pal 12 Questionnaire

Swap season has started up again and I've joined in! I always wanted to do Secret Pal, but I didn't have a blog or didn't post to it when I created one. Now that I am trying to do one or two posts a week, I am eligible for all the fun!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? There are so many wonderful yarns out there and I try new things for each project. I don't think I have an absolute favorite. I recently used Handmaiden Seasilk for a couple scarves and loved it. However, I can't afford to make everything out of silk and silk isn't appropriate for everything. I will just say that I do not like the squeaky 100% acrylic stuff. However, blends are just fine.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? My needles are in a really old (~20 years) cloth tri-fold thing. I think my mom found it on sale when I first learned to knit.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I would say I am an intermediate knitter. Though I learned to knit 21 years ago, I really didn't do much with it until about 3 years ago. Here's a post about how I learned to knit.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No.

5. What's your favorite scent? Lavender, citrus, vanilla. I like melon scents too for summer.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Of course! Chocolate, especially dark, is my favorite, but probably not good to mail to Houston in the hot summer. Jelly Bellies are good! Skittles, red licorice, sunflower seeds, nuts, popcorn sound good too.

7. What other crafts or do-it-yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? If only I had time! I have done some quilting with a bit of help from my mom, but right now knitting is the only crafty thing I do.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) In a broad sense, I like rock. The most recent CD I bought was Duffy. The most recent concert I went to was The Police. I have tickets for Tom Petty in August and a blues festival in September. Actually I like lots of stuff, but I really don't care for hip-hop. And yes, my computer does play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Looking at my stash, I think lately I've been choosing greens and blues. But I am open to anything except garish, almost-neon colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have one boyfriend, a year-old yellow Lab whose photos are all over this blog, and a camera-shy calico cat.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Must I pick just one? I'd rather experiment with lots of stuff.

13. What are you knitting right now? Just like the rest of the knitting world has done, I am making the Clapotis scarf/shawl. I'll be starting a dishcloth for the summer dishcloth exchange. And I always have various other things in various states of completion.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Definitely!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? It all depends on the project. I am not a needle snob and I own all of the above. Not all sizes of all materials, of course, but a little bit of each.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? The oldest one I'll admit to is something I started just after Christmas. It's a summer item and where I live summer lasts a long time. So there's still hope I'll be able to wear it this season.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving. It's least commercialized. All you do is hang out with family and friends and eat good food.

19. Is there anything that you collect? No.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I get Interweave Knitting and Vogue Knitting. I buy others if they have something that catches my eye. Right now I don't have something I am dying to get. I do like surprises though, so just use your imagination and I'm sure I'll love anything you might choose.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I would like to learn how to knit socks. People seem to love making them, but I also have a friend who hates them. I want to learn and find out for myself how I feel about sock-knitting.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I do not currently knit socks. I wear a size 7.5 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? November 23 (Maybe that's why I like Thanksgiving. My birthday is usually the same weekend.)

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, but I am not very active there. I have posted a few finished projects but not much else. I am kathyr65.